[Arkesh]

Originally Posted by skm1967

Dear Shashank,

To introduce Grand Cherokee and Wrangler via CBU route can only be a brand building exercise than a real attempt at increasing sales turnover. They should have otherwise planned to manufacture or at least taken CKD route. Aim seems to be to dissuade people from associating Fiat with Premier Padminis and rather associate with premier brands.
!

God knows what they are upto with this brand building exercise.
First they come up with palio stile advt where they associate with padmini. (Tag line of Those fun times reloaded)
Next they launch Fiat 500 with the same national engine.
Then they discontinue stile.
And now what next.
I cannot understand their strategy at all.
Hope this time they get it right.

[swiftnfurious]

Probably couple of things they can add to build brand recognition / loyalty is to

1. Provide a 5 year / 1,50,000 kms warranty standard (initially)
2. Start a Fiat exclusive pre-owned outlet which will buy Fiat cars at reasonable rates compared to dismal values as of now

The first step will ensure people trust the brand more for long term ownership while second step will ensure better resale values which is another concern for owners now.

In addition to this, they can also do some extra loyalty bonus stuffs to those repeat customers. Or bring in a 3 year / 5 year pre-paid AMC plans like Chevy had, which will ensure zero bill for all services till the period covered.

[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Probably couple of things they can add to build brand recognition / loyalty is to

1. Provide a 5 year / 1,50,000 kms warranty standard (initially)
2. Start a Fiat exclusive pre-owned outlet which will buy Fiat cars at reasonable rates compared to dismal values as of now

The first step will ensure people trust the brand more for long term ownership while second step will ensure better resale values which is another concern for owners now.

In addition to this, they can also do some extra loyalty bonus stuffs to those repeat customers. Or bring in a 3 year / 5 year pre-paid AMC plans like Chevy had, which will ensure zero bill for all services till the period covered.

Even now, Fiat offers 2+2 Years or 1,50,000Kms warranty (including extended which usually comes as free) for the Multijets and 1,96,000 kms warranty for the T-Jets. Problem is it was not markteted well.

All your other ideas is making perfect sense to me.

[SkyWalker]

Originally Posted by fiat_tarun

[*]Fiat-Chrysler targets 5% mktshare in India by 2015

LoL .At least for a company who is at the bottom of the pile in sales, they are ambitious.

Abarth - as pointless as 500. They can say brand building. A few India enthusiasts will cheer it, but there will be hardly any sales. Bring diesel Alf-Romeo's - they might sell a little better.

Linea 1.6 MJD is good news, but one that should have come a looong way back. And 2014 is a long way off even now.

The Compact UV is a burgeoning sector, and probably could turn the tide for Fiat - but with the slid build that FIAT gives (not a complaint) and an anaemic 1.3L engine, it would be no match for 1.5L engined cars like Duster and Ecosport.

In short, I am not drinking the FIAT Revival Kool-Aid yet!

[rohanjf]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

2. Start a Fiat exclusive pre-owned outlet which will buy Fiat cars at reasonable rates compared to dismal values as of now

That's where the problem lies. When people aren't even buying new Fiat cars, will they buy used ones? If Fiat buys old Palios paying more than market price, who will they sell them to :-P?

You know, I had my Palio MJD (August 2008, 79500 km) evaluated by Tata Motors' used car division through KHT Motors, thinking of exchanging it for Punto (because wife refuses to drive Palio as there is no seat height adjustment). He said, 2.1L. When a Swift in similar condition asks 3.5L, I expected more than 2.5L.

So I changed my mind. I'll use Palio for another 4 years and buy wife a Punto too.

[sharninder]

Frankly, I don't think this is enough. FIAT India is doing too little, too late.

I don't see the point of launching the Abarth in India when they're hardly able to even sell the basic Punto. And why did they already declare that the current Linea will be relaunched as the Classic when the new Linea launches in 2014! Don't they want any Lineas to be sold in 2013 AT ALL ?

More than 50 years in India and FIAT has still not understood the Indian market. Frankly, I don't have much hope for them.

The 1.6MJD is nice and all, but that's only going to satisfy a few dozen enthusiasts and people like us. The rest of the public would have been happier if FIAT had launched something like the Panda in India. What has FIAT been doing the last 1-2 years in India. Make no mistake, the 1.6MJD, if it comes, is not being launched for the FIAT customers. It is, most likely, coming to India because Maruti and TATA must have demanded it for their cars.

This split from TATA motors was announced mid 2012, right? Which means they were planning this from atleast 2012 beginning, if not before. By now, they should have homologated atleast half the range that they sell in countries like Brazil and launched atleast the Panda and the Linea with the 1.6MJD in India.

They could also launch the new Idea, new adventure, Bravo, Palio weekend, Freemot and probably the new Uno. Indian consumers want choice and FIAT is not giving them that.

My city has atleast 3 FIAT showrooms (and more if I'm willing to travel more than 20kms) and Renault has one but Duster sells more than 5000 a month and Linea, hardly touches 150?

[jessie007]

Unless FIAT launches a new hatchback (in the Rs 4-7 lakhs price range) at the earliest, its fate is sealed. Refreshed Punto (aka Evo), new Linea-Viaggio, Abarth variants and products from Chrysler brand cannot bring in volumes. Volumes increase visibility in the market and more people tend to buy a successful vehicle and this has an effect on associated profitability. Since FIAT in itself is not a luxury brand in India (most people don't know that FIAT owns Ferrari, Maserati & Alfa Romeo), visibility and volumes are important and that is only possible with a new hatchback (a well-priced diesel to be precise).

It is not that they have to necessarily develop a new car for India - they already have a gamut of hatchbacks in their portfolio - new Uno, new Palio (both should be renamed for India), Idea & Panda. One needs to check-out FIAT Brazil website to get a good idea.

http://www.fiat.com.br/monte-seu-carro/

Tip: Open in Google Chrome and click on translate (from Portuguese to English) notification just below the Menu bar

The only positive point for the company is that it is doing volumes in engine manufacturing segment and FIAT's Multijet engine is known well in the market, even though majority of the general public think that DDIs is an engine developed by Maruti-Suzuki.

Setting up independent showrooms are in the right direction but there isn't anything exciting to look forward to for the masses. FIAT needs to make an announcement at the earliest about their new up-coming hatchback(s) (be it a low-cost car, Uno, Idea or Panda) with a definite timeline. Otherwise it will be TATA bye bye for good!

[vipul_singh]

All well and good. My only issue is with the timelines. This has been a recurrent theme with FIAT India. They take things niiiiice and sllllow.

Why make a plan that extends into 2014 and beyond? Why not mid-2013? Their current way of doing things reminds me of a line from the Matrix: :"C'mon! Stop *trying to* hit me and hit me".

Perhaps the Nike tagline would be a more suitable way for them. *Talking* about things is for self-help groups.

[oxymoron]

It has been quite amusing reading responses from different members. it seems everyone on this forum is a strategy or a marketing expert. it is very much like cricket where all of us jump the gun saying what should be done/ what was wrong etc etc. when it comes to strategy, there is nothing right or wrong. It is just that for someone it clicks and for few it does not.
I am myself a Fiat Linea Tjet owner and can very much comment that service is not a problem in Mumbai atleast. my experience has been quite wonderful with ***, service personnel are always ear for complaints and resolve it to full satisfaction. Everytime i give my car for service, i receive feedback call from service center and Fiat which is reassuring that they are really keeping check on quality of service. I am sure hardly 10% of people who comment on bad service will not be even owning Fiat but are just commenting based on hearsay. I even have a Palio 1.6 S10, which has been serviced pretty well by Elegant motors in Delhi, but yes, service is expensive for Palio for which reasons are known to everyone on this forum. Linea & Punto are different breeds and we should not paint a similar picture as canvass has changed. I can bet, lot of people do not buy Fiat just because they are not comfortable explaining their conviction to their friends and families, so for them acceptance in society plays a major role. I also had to face similar situation where people thought that i am crazy buying a 10 Lakh+ Fiat but i believed in car. To me it was miles ahead of competition, be it features, performance or safety. i did not care about what people will think. Bottom Line, Fiat will take time to resurrect their business in India. In interest of prospective buyers on this forum, I can vouch that Linea & Punto are not expensive to maintain in comparison to any same segment car. No offence to anyone.. please continue with the discussion.

[Rufus_M]

Originally Posted by oxymoron

It has been quite amusing reading responses from different members. it seems everyone on this forum is a strategy or a marketing expert. it is very much like cricket where all of us jump the gun saying what should be done/ what was wrong etc etc. when it comes to strategy, there is nothing right or wrong. It is just that for someone it clicks and for few it does not.
I am myself a Fiat Linea Tjet owner and can very much comment that service is not a problem in Mumbai atleast. my experience has been quite wonderful with ***, service personnel are always ear for complaints and resolve it to full satisfaction. Everytime i give my car for service, i receive feedback call from service center and Fiat which is reassuring that they are really keeping check on quality of service. I am sure hardly 10% of people who comment on bad service will not be even owning Fiat but are just commenting based on hearsay. I even have a Palio 1.6 S10, which has been serviced pretty well by Elegant motors in Delhi, but yes, service is expensive for Palio for which reasons are known to everyone on this forum. Linea & Punto are different breeds and we should not paint a similar picture as canvass has changed. I can bet, lot of people do not buy Fiat just because they are not comfortable explaining their conviction to their friends and families, so for them acceptance in society plays a major role. I also had to face similar situation where people thought that i am crazy buying a 10 Lakh+ Fiat but i believed in car. To me it was miles ahead of competition, be it features, performance or safety. i did not care about what people will think. Bottom Line, Fiat will take time to resurrect their business in India. In interest of prospective buyers on this forum, I can vouch that Linea & Punto are not expensive to maintain in comparison to any same segment car. No offence to anyone.. please continue with the discussion.

Well said!! After experiencing Fiat service myself, they aren't as bad as it is made out to be atleast in my city. I'm a happy person with a Punto :-)

But everybody has a right to put their point across. That's the beauty of our forum. IMO, Fiat is a brand which evokes extreme opinions. Most of the people who drive it, swear by it.

P.S: My next car will be a Linea 1.6 MJD :-)

[Arkesh]

Even i have not felt any service issues with our linea and punto till date. Both have covered 25k od kms and are running quite strong.
There was uneven tyre wear on my linea due to a bent torsion beam at rear. It was promptly diagnosed and taken care of. Probably it was hit when driver had taken the car.
Also all spare parts that we have changed on linea and punto were readily available at dealership.
Sourcing parts for our uno d is a herculean task in this part of country though.

[daredeviljpr]

Originally Posted by oxymoron

I am myself a Fiat Linea Tjet owner and can very much comment that service is not a problem in Mumbai atleast. my experience has been quite wonderful with ***, service personnel are always ear for complaints and resolve it to full satisfaction. Everytime i give my car for service, i receive feedback call from service center and Fiat which is reassuring that they are really keeping check on quality of service.

I totally agree with you. I own a Punto since 2009 and have no issues with the After Sales and Service and I have tried two different Service centers in Pune. All issues have been resolved to my satisfaction. Come April 1, 2013 and Fiat will have it's own Dealers and Service centers which may provide even better experience.

I am upgrading to Linea 1.3 Emotion within a month and have been pressured from all sides not to buy a Fiat. No one has been able to provide a satisfactory reason for not buying a Fiat just vague responses such as not a good car, pathetic service, non availability of parts etc. I am quite happy with my Punto and find no reason to shift away from Fiat.

I just wish the new Linea models were launched sooner than 2014.

[Arkesh]

Originally Posted by daredeviljpr

I am upgrading to Linea 1.3 Emotion within a month and have been pressured from all sides not to buy a Fiat. No one has been able to provide a satisfactory reason for not buying a Fiat just vague responses such as not a good car, pathetic service, non availability of parts etc. I am quite happy with my Punto and find no reason to shift away from Fiat.

The same thing happened with me when we went for a punto after linea. The whole world was against it but i got no other car in mind that could match the punto when we needed another hatch.

[skm1967]

Dear Daredevil and Arkesh,

Both of you have extensive first hand experience on Fiat and it is nobody's business to advise you with regard to Fiat cars. I for one went on to buy a Linea T-Jet with great enthusiasm based on feedback on Fiat cars and A** from owners like you and I am really thankful for same.

I currently have a Santro, Maruti Gypsy, Scorpio and a Linea T-Jet +. But the car I look forward to drive always is T-Jet. The reasons for dismal performance of Fiat cars is not the products as such, but other factors, some of which are misconceived. We should have the conviction to go ahead with what the heart says disregarding advice from people who may not be having first hand experience but offering advice in good faith.

[amit]

Originally Posted by oxymoron

In interest of prospective buyers on this forum, I can vouch that Linea & Punto are not expensive to maintain in comparison to any same segment car.

I do agree that the Linea & Punto are not expensive to service but it's the cost of repairs and the confusion between Fiat and it's dealer's that increases cost of ownership. In my case, in 53K kms, I spent hardly Rs.17,000 in regular service, thats less then the cost of 4 tyres! Repair's on the other hand cost me a whopping Rs. 47,000!

More details on my ownership report here. More specifically, post 412.